FIA seizes records of 16 schools in Karachi, Sukkur and Hyderabad

The Federal Investigation Agency raided on Friday 16 schools across Sindh. They seized the records too.

The raids were conducted in schools in Karachi, Sukkur, and Hyderabad. The teams seized their computers and registers. FIA director said that a forensic will be conducted.

The investigation agency has also written a letter to the State Bank and requested for their accounts to be seized to ensure that the money is not transferred.

On Thursday, the Supreme Court ordered a 20% reduction in fees of private schools that had been increasing their fees by more than the allowed 8%. Some schools were increasing their fees by 20 to 25%, the court was told.

A three-member bench, headed by Chief Justice Saqib Nisar, also said that any schools that try to shut down to protest this decision will have action taken against them. Contempt of court notices could be issued to the schools hoping to boycott this decision.

The schools have been instructed to give back the half fees they charge during the summer vacations or adjust them in the students’ monthly payments.

The court directed the FBR to check the tax records of 21 major private schools over the past seven years. The FIA has been directed to take their records — computers, log books and ledgers — into custody.